Fasteners are used to secure various components together. For example, a fastener may be used to securely connect a first panel to a second panel. Cover panels, such as B-pillar appliqués, may be secured to door frames or panels of automobiles through one or more fasteners.
In order to secure the first panel to the second panel, a pin and grommet fastener may be used. The fastener may include a pin secured within a grommet. A top, planar portion of the pin may be adhesively secured to the first panel, while the grommet is snapably secured within a hole formed in the second panel. Typically, the grommet includes a passage that allows the pin to pass through during a mating process. The passage typically conforms to the shape of the pin shaft when the pin is secured with respect to the grommet.
Known pin and grommet fastener assemblies include grommet legs that spread and set after being installed into a panel for an extended period of time. When such a known pin and grommet fastener assembly is removed from a hole of the panel, the grommet legs remain set in an openly spread position. That is, the outward bias of the grommet legs may cause them to permanently set in an outwardly-biased state. The distance between the outwardly-biased legs may be wider than a hole within a panel. As such, the fastener assembly may not be easily re-inserted into a hole of a panel, as the spread grommet legs may snag onto edge portions of the panel that surround the hole.
Accordingly, a need exists for a grommet that may be efficiently and easily inserted and reinserted into holes of panels.